For Now, At Least
by Amelia-Williams-Pond
Summary: This is a sort of family problems type thing for the YJ characters that LadybugGirl7086 gave me, without a title, for my Story Title Challenge (whose name I will be changing). A series of one-shots focusing on different team members and their 'family issues'. They're short, but you should read and review anyways! Please and thank you!
1. Conner

Conner sat on the corner of his bed in his mostly empty room at the cave, thinking. Was it something he had done? Or just simply that he existed?

Superman obviously had an aversion to him- he avoided the boy at almost all costs.

"Why?" he muttered. He didn't need a father, so to speak, but training would be helpful. Superman was the only one with the same abilities; the only one who _really_ understood. And yet, instead of offering to help, he shunned Conner.

Though the clone would never admit it, it hurt that Superman refused to accept him. He didn't know what to do- every time he tried to approach or talk to the Kryptonian, he'd find some excuse to vanish.

_Maybe he doesn't know what to do, either_, he thought. That could sort of make sense.

Maybe… Maybe he was just as confused as Conner. He'd never had a son before- it had been completely thrust upon him.

_Still_, he thought, an edge of bitterness in the words, _that doesn't excuse him for completely ignoring me!_

_But what if it did? Would you even _want_him as a father?_

He thought about it. Superman had sort of started to accept him, letting him take on the name '_Kent_' and a few other things.

Maybe it was just hard. Conner _wasn't_ his son, after all. He was a _clone_. That would probably be a lot to take in- the new team of protégés returns from an unauthorized mission with a half-age clone of him?

_Yeah_, he thought, _maybe a bit overwhelming._

He found himself thinking about the father/son relationship between Batman and Robin. Though a lot of it was criticism, it was mostly constructive, and there was praise mingled between. And it wasn't like Batman didn't care, because no matter how much he tried to deny it, he cared. It showed.

Maybe he could be satisfied with something like that. Maybe he could be satisfied with anything at all. Constructive criticism, the occasional praise.

Or maybe he couldn't.

Either way, he figured he'd have to go on not knowing, for now, at least.


	2. Artemis

_Six-year-old Artemis panted as she ran through the obstacle course her father had set up. She completed it a solid three minuets after her older sister, Jade, and flopped to the floor, breathing hard._

_ "__Can we- take a break- papa?" she asked, her words punctuated by breaths._

_ "__No. And I told you, don't call me that," her father responded. "You're falling further behind your sister. Run it again."_

_ "__We've been doing this all day, father," Jade pointed out. "Maybe we could take a break?"_

_ "__I said _no_. You two have got to step it up. Now, run it again."_

_The two sisters got up, still breathing hard, and started the course again. It would be hours before they got a break, then they'd have to do it again. And again. And again._

Artemis sat bolt upright, panting.

"You okay?" Wally asked from his spot on the couch, where he was eating a bowl of popcorn. The rest of the team watched her in concern. She was at the cave. Artemis breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a dream.

"Fine. Perfectly fine," she responded. She didn't remember falling asleep. "What time is it?"

"Eleven pm. You fell asleep about halfway through _Ghostbusters 2_. We're about to start _Clue_." They had been having a movie marathon.

"What's wrong, Artemis?" Robin asked. He could tell when someone had had a nightmare.

"I told you, it's nothing."

"No, you said you were fine," Wally said, and she rolled her eyes. Already, just by being themselves, they had made her feel a little better. That, paired with an hour and a half of Tim Curry, and she'd be fine. "Give me some of that," she said, reaching into Wally's bowl of popcorn and snatching a handful. For once, he didn't jerk away. "What are we waiting for? Let's watch it!"

As if she had pressed a button, things resumed to normal. Robin started the movie, Megan re-dimmed the lights, and all was well. For now, at least.


	3. Robin

Robin sighed as the alarm clock beeped incessantly at him. It was _that day_ again. His parents had died seven years ago today.

Slowly, he pulled himself up and shut off the alarm, then fell back into bed. After a few moments of trying to go back to sleep unsuccessfully, he sluggishly stood up and stretched. It wasn't that he was tired, so much as weighed down. Three times a year, he felt like this, but this day was the worst. The other two? His parents' birthdays.

As soon as he tried to take a step, he tripped over the hem of his Bat-themed pajama pants (they had been a gift) and landed flat on his back on the floor. It was going to be one of those days, he supposed.

He got up and put on some clothes (thank God it was a Saturday, so he didn't have school), then sat on his bed for a few minuets, trying not to think about his parents.

On days like this, he was always near the edge. Even a slight push drew him ever so closer to falling off. And thinking about his parents was the biggest push of all.

He had to go to the Cave- he'd left his laptop there.

With another heavy sigh, he put a small smile on with his sunglasses, and made his way- _slowly_- to the Zeta-tube in the Batcave.

Once he was there, he acknowledged the presence of the rest of the team and began looking for his laptop. Sure enough, it was sitting on the counter, in plain view. He sat down and opened it, only to be covered in what smelled suspiciously like raspberry jam.

He heard the laughs and snickers of the Team behind him and knew it was their idea of a prank, and sat completely still, trying to compose himself. Anger pooled just beneath the surface, and they didn't know it, but they were treading on dangerous ground.

He sighed, and stood.

"What, no commendation, no reaction, nothing?" Wally asked.

Wally had probably organized the prank. And _Wally_ was the only one who knew the significance of today.

"Nope," he responded, managing to keep all emotion from his voice as he started off toward the showers. He didn't want to get jam all over his laptop, so he left it there. "And if any of you touch my laptop while I'm gone, you'll regret it."

"What, so you're allowed to pull as many pranks as you want on us, but the minuet we retaliate, we've gone too far?" Artemis asked. "How does _that_ work."

"Not now, Artemis," was all Robin responded.

"No, that's not good enough," she said, standing and grabbing his arm. He whipped around and very nearly backhanded her. She stared at him, rooted to the spot. He'd never lashed out at her- or _anyone_- like that before.

"When someone is trying to walk away, you _let them walk away_," he said, wrenching his arm free and continuing out. She regained her composure- and her anger- quickly.

"What. The. _Hell!_" Artemis shouted. "Sorry, mister High and Mighty, that we got you back. Sorry that it's _perfectly fair_."

"Artemis," Robin said, and there was something new in his tone. Something dangerous. She ignored it. "Today is not the day for this."

"Of course it's not! But then, I suppose _every day_ isn't the say for this, right?"

He was very near the breaking point now. Didn't she see he was trying to _walk away_? He had very nearly smacked her. Smacked her! He didn't want to do that, to _any_ of them.

"The least you could do is congratulate us on getting the drop on you," she said.

"Congratulations," he deadpanned, and left for the showers.

"Oh, come _on!_ Who _died_ and made _you_ superior?"

He stopped in his tracks, his hands trembling. Artemis could tell she had gone too far, but she was too angry to care. Slowly, he turned to face her.

"You think I think I'm _superior_? Is _that_ what this is?" he laughed, a bitter sound that didn't suit him. "You think I'm upset because of your stupid _prank_- that I'm not laughing because someone got the _jump on me_? Let me tell you something, Artemis. My life consists of more than Robin. I have actual, legitimate _reasons_ to be upset today, none of which have _anything_ to do with _this_," he gestured to the jam he was covered in. "Let me tell you something- you want to know _why_ I live with Batman? He's not my father! My biological parents _died._ They were murdered right in front of my eyes, _seven years ago today_. _Today!_ So think whatever the _hell_ you want, but just _leave me alone_."

He glared at all of them, Artemis, who had backed away a few steps during his rant. Wally, whose eyes were wide with horror and understanding. Kaldur, who seemed slightly taken aback, but only slightly. M'Gann, who looked utterly upset, but closer to self-mortification than tears, and Connor, who merely stared back.

He turned and left for the showers.

He hadn't expected them to understand, but he had at least expected Wally to _remember _and tell the others. And instead, they decide it's a good idea to cover him with raspberry jam. He let out a frustrated sigh as he peeled off his jam-covered clothes. _They hadn't known_, he reasoned. He didn't need to be mad at them. It wasn't their fault.

He stepped into the shower, turning on the hot water, and rested his forehead against the cool tile of the stall, breathing deeply.

He hadn't done anything he'd regret. Other than, you know, blowing up at the entire team and almost slapping Artemis. _Cool, collected Robin isn't so whelmed now, I guess_, he mused. An almost smile slipped onto his lips. He'd be alright, eventually.

On the bright side, he had revenge to look forward to- he was already planning the barrage of pranks he was going to pull in retaliation.

And it was okay. For now, at least.

**Hello! This chapter is the longest by far, and I swear I didn't intend for that to happen. True, Robin is my favorite YJ character, but I don't discriminate. **


	4. Wally

Wally sighed in frustration, flopping onto the couch.

"Hey, Wall-man, what's up?" Robin asked, mimicking the speedster for no purpose other than to annoy him. He had gotten them back good for their little prank- Wally specifically had been turned as red as his hair _normally_ was- it was now a vivid pink. He still rocked it, though.

"Not much," he responded honestly. _Anymore_. His father had just gotten done yelling at him- _again_- for skipping last week's track meet. It wasn't as if he had better things to do- _no_, his father had to live vicariously through him!

Robin stared at him for a moment. "Not much, huh?"

"Yep. Not much."

There was another pause- Robin's amusement was practically radiating off him. The bird stayed silent, watching his friend, counting down mentally. _Three_.

Wally huffed.

_Two._

He opened his mouth and closed it again. Twice.

_One._

His left hand twitched. He turned to Robin.

_And… Go._

"Okay, so my dad? Total jerk, right? He's always getting on my case about the stupid track team, how I _never_ make it to the meets and I never win and this and that and I'm _so freaking frustrated_ because he's trying to re-live his glory days through me and I can run faster than the speed of light so I'm really just wasting my time pacing myself of a high school track team and we had this big fight and now he's mad at me- _again_- but it'll all be the same by Thursday because I have another meet and we'll probably have a mission or something and this is _really getting on my nerves._"

Robin hid a smile- he had seen the rant coming a mile away.

"So… Nothing much?"

Wally stared. Let out a single, short laugh. Relaxed in his seat. "Pretty much."

"In that case, what say you to an annihilation competition of _Tekken 2_?"

Just the mention of the old game brought a smile to Wally's lips. It didn't have the greatest animation, but you could never go wrong with Kuma.

"Thought you'd never ask."

With that, Robin set about turning on the game, even tossing him a bag of Chex Mix Muddy Muddies from… somewhere.

Wally knew he'd be able to forget about his father and the track team and all that. And that was enough, for now, at least.


	5. Megan

_Everyone staring at her. Jeering at her. All because she was different. The only one in her family, other than her brother and her father. And it wasn't like her life on Earth, either. Their thoughts mingled with hers. Like poison inside her head, judgmental, condescending, tainting her own thoughts. No matter what she did, there would always be those who thought the same._

_She knew she shouldn't know what life on Earth was like- she was still on Mars. But it was a dream, or a vision, or a memory, and so she did._

_And she was trapped in her own mind, lost and alone with her deepest fears and insecurities._

_She would never be good enough._

_She might as well kill herself._

_She wasn't _normal_. _

_She was a White Martian. And she was despised._

_If the team found out what she was… They'd be afraid. They'd fear her. She'd lose her best friends in the best home she'd ever had. And she didn't want that to happen._

_So it was deception that kept her distant. And she hated the distance. She'd been distant all her life, from those outside her family._

_It made her feel guilty, but also strangely comforted her. She would always have that one truth, the history of _her_, M'Gann M'orzz. And it was hers alone._

_The guilt was difficult. What would Wally, who was infatuated with her, think? Or Conner? What would Kaldur'Ahm have to say about her deception, her lies? And Artemis would surely turn away from her. Robin… She didn't know what he'd do. He was too guarded for her to be able to even begin to guess._

_The jeers continued in the darkness, but this time, instead of the Green Martians of her homeworld, it was her friends._

_ "__You disgust me," Wally would say, distrust and horror in his glare._

_ "__We thought you trusted us," Kaldur would tell her. "How could you keep this from us?"_

_ "__You tricked me," Conner growled. "If I had known what you were, I'd never have let it go this far."_

_ "__You were our friend," Artemis said. "And all along, you were _this_? Why did you even come here? You're not welcome."_

_The only small comfort she took was in that she never heard Robin's voice among the harsh statements of the team._

_Somewhere inside her, she knew she was wrong, but it was overruled by fear and a lifetime of inferiority._

_And she'd have to deal with that. For now, at least._

**If you haven't noticed, things in italics are typically thoughts, dreams, flashbacks, or otherwise not part of the main storyline. This one is a sort of mix of those, created by a nightmarish memory combined with M'Gann's insecurities and fears.**


	6. Kaldur

Kaldur'ahm sat on his bed, thinking. A dangerous pastime, if his confusion was any indication.

He had never really had a problem with not knowing his parents before, until the team started talking about their families. It made him realize that an imperfect family is still better than no family at all.

For the first time, ever, he wished things had been different. He wished he had known his parents. He wished… Yeah, he wished.

He tried to push the thoughts away- there was no use in ruminating about the past. He had a new family now, and a king and queen, and he was happy, mostly.

And it didn't matter. He couldn't change his own history, and even if the option was available, he wouldn't. He wouldn't. _Right?_

There was a knock at his door.

"Kaldur?" a voice called through the wood. Artemis. She must want some sort of advice.

He was always doing that. Giving advice to the Team. They seemed to think him wiser than they, or more mature, or something. He wished he was able to ask them things. _But then, what's stopping him_?

His team saw him as the stable one. Was it- it wasn't that he was afraid. That was ridiculous.

"Come in," he said, and the door opened. Artemis stepped in, and he realized she was the perfect sort of distraction. He could help her with her problems and in the process, maybe forget about his own. For now, at least.

**Hey, guys! This one is really, really, ****_really_**** short, about which I apologize. Of the whole team, Kaldur and his background is both the least familiar and most confusing, because they practically re-invented him for Young Justice. So... Yeah. Hope you enjoyed it anyway!**


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